The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 38
Stella went to the wardrobe, pulled out a cloak, and, without properly fastening it, hurried out of the bedroom. Her hurried footsteps echoed her impatience as she descended the dark, quiet hallway and the stairs. When she reached the exit leading outside, she hesitated. The door was wide open for some reason.
The guards stationed there didn’t acknowledge her presence. Stella, worried they might try to stop her if they noticed, hurriedly stepped outside.
When she entered the courtyard, where the night bugs were softly chirping, she saw the same man standing in the same spot as before. Islay was watching her, unmoving, as if he had been waiting for her to leave her room.
Stella slowed her anxious steps as she approached him. Islay tilted his lips into a slanted smile.
“You’re coming out of the castle on your own now?”
“…Ah.”
“And at such a late hour, too. Don’t you think the Ice Castle might be dangerous?”
“I… didn’t think about that.”
“Then what were you thinking when you came out?”
Stella hesitated to answer.
She had boldly rushed out without even putting on her cloak properly, all because she had met his eyes through the window. It was a moment that made her feel utterly foolish.
What should she say? That she hadn’t thought much at all? That she came out because he looked a bit lonely, heading to that solitary tower alone? She was startled by the thoughts that followed.
It was true, but saying it out loud would only give this strange man the opportunity to tease her, asking how she planned to comfort him.
‘…So this is why people fear impulses.’
This was the result of acting without thinking. An awkward silence ensued. Stella kept her lips tightly sealed, hiding the truth she couldn’t bring herself to confess.
“Don’t wander around after dark without an escort. It’s hard to guarantee your safety.”
“Alright. Then I’ll just….”
“I didn’t mean you should go back inside.”
Stella, who had been about to slip away, widened her eyes in surprise. Islay, who had been quietly watching her, suddenly reached out. He took the cloak she was holding and wrapped it around her small, shivering shoulders.
As his strong arm moved above her head, Stella felt as if she were being embraced by him. Her gaze naturally shifted to his chest.
His robust frame carried the scent of cold wind, a faint musk, and his warmth. Even without a cloak, he exuded heat. Stella silently inhaled the man’s peculiar scent.
Despite his rough appearance, his hands were unexpectedly delicate as they wrapped her up snugly. When his hand brushed her neck, she swallowed involuntarily. The sensations from all her senses made her heart race.
Stella glanced at the large hand adjusting the fabric beneath her chin and, gathering a bit of courage, she spoke, “What were you doing so late at night?”
“I was on my way to my room. But then you came out.”
“…I’m sorry for interrupting.”
“It’s fine. I wasn’t planning on sleeping anyway,” Islay replied lightly. “Since you’re already out, how about a walk?”
“……”
“I won’t stop you if you want to go back to your room.”
“No…! Let’s walk together. I couldn’t sleep either.”
Stella stepped closer, as if afraid he might change his mind. Islay quietly looked down at her as she moved closer. This time, it was he who held his breath.
Stella thought that impulses were strange things. They made you do things you would never have dreamed of, things completely out of character. Having never acted impulsively before in her life, she could keenly feel this new change.
“Good. Come this way.”
With those words, Islay turned and walked ahead. Stella hurried after him with quick steps, not wanting to be left behind.
They were heading down the same path she had taken before—the one leading to the ice lake where the starry night ritual had been held.
Stella found herself liking the idea of a nighttime walk. Especially to the lake, which had been so white and clear.
The Millennium Tree was within the inner castle, so she could visit it anytime, and there were more sights to see in the outer castle where the elders resided, but that place gave her an uneasy feeling. The ice lake was a good choice.
As they passed through the secret passage into the forest path, her heart raced with excitement. It felt like she was a mischievous child sneaking out of her bedroom in the middle of the night.
The emotions Stella usually felt in the Ice Castle were fear, resignation, despair, and sadness. Whenever she strayed even slightly from those feelings, a sense of dissonance would rise within her, but it didn’t happen this time.
For once, she allowed herself to enjoy the unexpected situation of a nighttime walk. Perhaps it was because she had never walked under such a star-filled sky before.
Stella gazed up at the moon and stars in the night sky, only looking ahead when they reached the lake.
The moonlight floated on the surface of the dark blue lake, edged with thin ice. The snow-covered treetops added a mysterious aura to the snowy landscape. Stella’s pace slowed, and so did Islay’s.
As they walked along the lake’s edge, the dry grass crunched underfoot. The sound blended perfectly with the pale landscape, and Stella walked in silence for a while, enjoying the sound. Then, she glanced back at the man following a half step behind her.
“For a moment, I thought you’d forgotten you had company.”
His tone suggested he wondered if she had only just noticed his presence. Stella nonchalantly gestured to his long shadow.
“How could I forget? You stand out, even in a crowd, because of your size.”
“And I’d find you in a crowd just as quickly, even though you’re small.”
“You have sharp observation skills.”
“Of course. But anyone would, I think.”
The sound of dry leaves rustling filled the silence as they walked side by side. Stella was conscious of the way their arms occasionally brushed, her eyes darting sideways each time. She could feel his gaze on her whenever she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. If she slowed down, so did Islay.
When she stopped, he stopped. When she slowed, so did he. Islay’s unwavering gaze was fixed on Stella, and he followed her movements with keen awareness. His actions reminded her of a dog waiting for commands.
The thought made her chuckle. Though she quickly stifled the laugh, the smile lingered on her lips.
“Why are you laughing?” he asked.
“…It’s nothing.”
“Tell me. What’s so amusing?”
“I was just thinking you’re like a dog.”
Islay fell silent. Realizing how it might have sounded, Stella hurriedly tried to clarify.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it as an insult… I mean, you remind me of a dog. I’ve always thought that.”
The more she tried to explain, the deeper she seemed to dig herself into a hole. She had just called Islay a dog three times in a row.
“I mean your behavior. Like a dog… I meant it literally.”
“You’re saying I’m like a beast.”
His tone was cold, his words echoing hers back at her. Stella, now serious, felt tension creep into her expression.
Islay was someone who genuinely shared the blood of something close to a beast. Calling him one was inappropriate. Just as she was about to apologize, thinking she might have offended him, Islay spoke.
“Oh, so you think if you pet me, I’ll wag my tail like a dog?”
Islay let out a soft, breathy laugh, accepting her words without hesitation.
“Well, you’re not wrong. I’ve never been petted before, so I imagine it would feel pretty good. I might even drool like a stray dog that’s finally been shown some affection.”
“Please… refrain from making such embarrassing jokes.”
“I’m an unrefined man. What would a beast like me know about manners?”
“Alright, I’m sorry for calling you a dog. You’re as respectable as any human.”
Islay chuckled deeply, the sound unfamiliar and making Stella blush in embarrassment. Her whole face grew hot, as if she had been teased.
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hokagesamaaaaaa
Islay is the most charming male lead I’ve come across in any web novel/manhwa ever. He’s effortlessly charming, and though yes there’s kidnapping involved, the pacing, the character arcs make it very different from Stockholm syndrome. Love love love.